Kiwi Nationals To Be Live Streamed Over Easter
| press release | 27 March 2015 |
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KartSport fans around the country and the world can look forward to even better livestreaming of the National Sprint Championship meeting over the Easter weekend thanks to an ongoing alliance with Spark and KartSport New Zealand.
After a successful trial at last year's Sprint Nationals meeting in Blenheim, livestreaming specialist i-FilmNZ will provide live coverage of this year's CB Norwood Distributors Ltd-backed Palmerston North meeting via the internet - link HERE - on Saturday April 4 and Sunday April 5.
This year i-Film NZ will use as many as five cameras to cover the meeting. Karter and current V8 Supertourer driver Richard Moore will again anchor the commentary team with assistance from fellow racer (and now Australian V8 Supercar driver) Simon Evans, visiting Australian kart series media man Liam Meegan, and the KartSport Manawatu club's regular track commentator, Mike Wilson.
Above: Reigning New Zealand Schools' champion Ryan Wood (#40) from Wellington will be one of he favourites in the new Vortex Mini ROK class
pic - Fast Company/Graham Hughes
As well as live coverage via the internet, Sky TV motorsport show #SkySpeed will also be showing a feature package on Sky Sport 3 in the week after the event.
"We've definitely stepped things up from last year, "says KartSport New Zealand's Development and Administration Manager Robert Hutton.
"We proved the worth of doing it last year, so this year our goal was to improve our offering."
Though karters and members of their extended families and friends around New Zealand provided the bulk of the viewing audience over the two days, Hutton says that it was interesting to see how wide the net was spread. The 2014 event received a combined total of over 18,000 live and post event views.
"That's the beauty of livestreaming, you can see where people are logging in from and in our case it was from all over the world; the UK, Europe, the United States, Australia. Viewers can join the live chat, ask questions of the commentators, plus this year be in to win spot prizes."
With entries now closed, the organising club, KartSport Manawatu, has confirmed 177 starters, including no less than six who will be defending the class titles they won at the 2014 meeting in Blenheim.
The 125cc Rotax Max Light class is the best-supported of the Senior ones with 27 entries, while with the prospect of a trip to Italy later this year for the winner, the new Vortex Mini ROK class is the best supported Junior one with 24 entries.
Above: Chris Cox (#12) from Rangiora will contest three different classes at the meeting - 125cc Rotax Max Light, Open and KZ2
pic - Fast Company/Graham Hughes
Aucklander Mathew Kinsman is back to defend both his National 125cc Rotax Max Light and 100cc Yamaha Light titles with competition in both classes expected to come from Cambridge driver Andy Schofield and fellow two-class entrant Brad Still from New Plymouth.
One driver who will be busier than most over the weekend is current South Island 100cc Yamaha Light and KZ2 class champion Chris Cox from Rangiora.
He will contest three classes, 125cc Rotax Max and KZ2 on Saturday, and Open on Sunday.
There's a double incentive, meanwhile, in the Vortex Mini ROK class, with the 24 entrants aged from 9 to 13, vying to claim the inaugural New Zealand National Sprint title as well as the chance to represent New Zealand at the ROK Cup International Finals in Lonato, Italy between October 22 and 25 this year.
Wellington driver Ryan Wood is the reigning NZ Schools' champion in the class, Aucklander Josh Parkinson the 2014 North Island champion.
Both are entered for the Easter event where they will come up against the likes of Thomas Boniface from New Plymouth, William Exton from Blenheim and Tom Greig, Riley Jack and Jackson Rooney from Palmerston North.
There will be action at Manawatu Toyota Raceway on Shirriffs Rd on the outskirts of Palmerston North from Easter Friday with Time Trials (qualifying).
Five class titles will then be contested each day on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday the classes are Vortex Mini ROK, Junior 100cc Yamaha, 125cc Rotax Max, 100cc Yamaha Heavy and KZ2 .
On Sunday they are Cadet ROK, 125cc Rotax Max Junior, Open, 125cc Rotax Max Heavy and 100cc Yamaha Light.
Spectators are welcome with action on the track each day between 9.00am and 4.30pm. For more information go to www.kartsportmanawatu.co.nz
